Behind the Badge
It’s not unusual for police officers to face difficult questions during community events, but can Beverly Hills PD handle such loaded lines of inquiry as “Is the soup vegan and gluten free?”
Come by the California Pizza Kitchen on South Beverly Drive on Friday and find out. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Beverly Hills Police Department and CPK are teaming up for the Special Olympics “Tip A Cop” fundraiser. Police serve alongside waiters in the charity event in which 100 percent of the tips received by police “wait staff” go to the Special Olympics.
“It’s such a good cause, and I love being part of it,” said Det. Audra Alatorre of the Crimes Against Persons Unit, who helped organize the event for the department.
Retired Beverly Hills Det. Hector Alatorre participated in the Tip-a-Cop fundraiser in the early 1990s. His daughter, Det. Audra Alatorre, is spearheading the program this year.
Photo provided by Hector Alatorre
Alatorre said her father, retired Beverly Hills Det. Hector Alatorre participated in the event when he was at the department. She also worked alongside wait staff as a cadet in Chino. But in the decade Alatorre has served at Beverly Hills, this will be the first year that the department will have participated in the program.
“Everyone has been really supportive. In roll call, our sergeants are encouraging officers to volunteer, and CPK has been awesome from the beginning,” she said.
In fact, the restaurant turned the event into an all-day fundraiser. Mention “Tip A Cop,” and 20 percent of your bill will be donated to Special Olympics all day on Friday.
Retired Beverly Hills Det. Hector Alatorre participated in the Tip-a-Cop fundraiser in the early 1990s. His daughter, Det. Audra Alatorre, is spearheading the program this year.
Photo provided by Hector Alatorre
Law enforcement has long supported the Special Olympics, which is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and physical disabilities. In fact, “Tip A Cop” is just one of several fundraising platforms of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Now in its 38th year, the nationwide Torch Run has raised more than $600 million and is one of the leading fundraisers in the world championing acceptance and inclusion.
“It’s amazing,” Alatorre said. “We’re very excited to be a part of it.”
As for the experience of having a cop serve pizza, Alatorre promised that the actual wait staff will be there to make sure no one messes up patrons’ orders. One thing the detective is pretty sure that police presence will ensure?
“There’ll be no dining and dashing that night.”
California Pizza Kitchen is located at 207 S. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills Police Department will be there from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2. For more information about the Special Olympics, click here.
